Tip 1

Remember to position your tree away from any heat sources such as radiators or light fittings. This includes positioning any fairy lights away from anything that might burn easily.

Tip 2

Make sure that the lights you're decorating the tree with are all in ship-shape, with no frayed wires or bits hanging off. If you're not sure whether they're safe, you're probably better off buying new ones just in case. They're fairly inexpensive, so it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Tip 3

Remember to turn off all your Christmas lights when going to bed or going out. This way, if the worse were to happen you're there to fix it.

Tip 4

Ensure the toys you buy for the kids are from a reputable company with their safety precautions clearly visible on the side. Check this before wrapping, and just to be on the safe side, keep batteries separate.

Tip 5

Make sure the sockets your electricals are plugged into are working fine, and be sure to not overload the sockets with extension cables full of high voltage electricals. If you have limited space and really do need the extension cables, opt for LED lights and trees as they will use up less energy, plus they last much longer in general.

Although a few holes in a real Christmas tree might seem endearing or impossible to prevent, artificial Christmas trees have the added benefit that they don’t need to have any gaps or holes in their foliage, that is as long as they have been assembled properly.

But how do you prevent gaps and holes in an artificial Christmas tree?

So many times we’ve seen Christmas lovers perplexed over the gaps in their trees and have no idea how to solve the mystery. Well, the truth is, there is no mystery… it’s actually really simple to get to grips with once you know the tricks of the trade.

Here’s our list of basic tricks which you can add to your arsenal before you go full steam ahead and assemble your Christmas tree this year. Have a good one!

Six Simple Steps To Achieve The Full & Bushy Look

Step 1:

First things first, you should start from the bottom up.

This might seem simple enough but it’s common for people to work from the top down and wondering why the middle has a tonne of gaps. That’s because when you work from the bottom you’re tweaking upwards gradually, so the branches which are being twisted upwards are filling any potential gaps.

When you work from the top down, you’re going to be tweaking aimlessly into empty space which is not going to be filled the more you go down, and you’re also more likely to tweak downwards, which is a big no-no.

Step 2

Make sure each branch is evenly spaced.

A great big cluster of branches doesn’t look bushy, it just looks dense and makes the whole tree look patchy, and leaves gaps elsewhere. By spacing out your branches evenly, you’re taking into any account any holes and you’re also keeping the elegant style of the tree intact.

Step 3

Next, make sure your branch tips are all facing upwards and are angled away from the centre of the tree.

Most artificial trees which aren’t properly erected don’t look right because their branches are either too straight up or are too flat. A gentle upright angle of around 40-45 degrees works best for most tips as it keeps the tree’s width but still maintains its realistic “bushiness”.

An angle of around 80-90 degrees is ideal for the very outer tips which give the tree its overall shape.

Step 4

Think about how each branch has a part to play in the construction of the tree.

Each branch is responsible for filling a proportion of the tree, so utilise the space it’s in. That means splaying each tip on a branch outwardly from the rest.

Step 5

To covertly keep gaps to a minimum, see if you can tweak your branches so that they touch the row above them. This should only be applied to the branches closest to the centre pole.

By doing this you’re helping to cover the pole with as much foliage as possible in the smallest amount of space. As you’re aiming for a realistic look, making sure the centre pole is completely hidden is a big deal.

Step 6

Still think you’ve got too many gaps? Take a step back and tweak where appropriate. If you have lights on your tree, you can always utilise the lights to fill any gaps you’re unhappy with, although we do always recommend tweaking the branches and only moving the lights as a final resort.

Think you're ready to take on your tree? Take a look at our luxury artificial Christmas trees in-store, or take a browse on our sister site www.christmastreeworld.co.uk before you make the choice!

This entry was posted in Christmas on November 26, 2016 by goldendays.

This week sees the 6th Annual Shevington Fete, a lively community event held in the centre of the village.
The Mayor of Wigan, Ron Conway is opening the Shevington fete accompanied by a special guest, Adrian Speakman from the popular TV show “Call the councils”.

An impressive array of stalls will cover the recreation ground, two entertainment marquees, the Parish hall, the Methodist church and the dance hall.
Both adults and children will be entertained with sporting events, such as rugby, children’s races, “zorbs”, a tug of war and even a penalty shootout.
For those who would rather take it a little easier there are stalls selling cakes, preserves, jewellery, aromatherapy and much more.

Young artists from a local music school and Wigan Youth Zone will be performing, as well as Pemberton Brass Band, Tom Jones tribute, and “Gifted” who give all of their proceeds to charities such as “Help for Heroes.”
The “lynchpin” of the event is Shevington Gardening Club who will be hosting its 32nd Annual show. This year the exhibition consists of 100 classes and will take place in the youth club. Judging will take place between 11am – 1pm and the hall will be open to the public for viewing from 1pm, with the prize presentation at 3.30pm.
As in previous years, we are sponsoring the second place prize in every class and wife of Golden Days’ owner, Christine Evans, will be presenting the prizes.

We wish all exhibitors the best of luck.
Here’s hoping the sun puts in an appearance and that the 6th Annual Shevington Fete is as fabulous as ever!

This entry was posted in Uncategorized on August 4, 2016 by goldendays.

My name’s Graham Green, and I’m delighted to be able to welcome you to our new blog. I’m head gardener at Golden Days Garden Centre, and chief blogger over here at our online branch, Signature Homes and Gardens. From planting tips to patio design ideas and guides for beginners, I hope you’ll find plenty of useful information here to get you out and about in the garden this summer and beyond!